VesacIndia to Launch AI-Backed Urban Tree Health Study in Thane and Navi Mumbai
Environmental organisation VesacIndia is set to launch the Urban Forest Intelligence (UFI) Pilot Study at selected locations in Thane and Navi Mumbai to systematically assess the health and stability of urban trees amid frequent monsoon tree-fall incidents.
Developed by VesacIndia founder Vijaykumar Katti, the initiative aims to bring together botanists, arborists, ecologists, engineers, municipal officials, disaster management professionals, environmental journalists, and citizens to examine urban trees from multiple perspectives.
The pilot will cover two locations, examining five representative trees at each site. Researchers and participants will document surrounding soil, drainage, and environment, identify tree species, and study natural growth characteristics. The physical condition of tree canopies, trunks, branches, and roots will be assessed alongside their proximity to roads, buildings, and utility infrastructure.
A key element of the study involves using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to organise documentation, compare visual evidence over time, and detect patterns that may not be immediately visible. Katti described the approach as "Analysed Inference," in which technology assists human judgement rather than replacing scientific knowledge and field experience.
According to Katti, tree-fall incidents are typically investigated only after an accident takes place, with little attention given to environmental stressors such as construction activity, road widening, and drainage alterations that affect trees in advance. The UFI framework is intended to create a collaborative platform to detect early warning signs.
A pre-pilot interaction has been scheduled for August 9, where the research methodology will be presented to stakeholders and experts before field exercises begin. VesacIndia has invited municipal engineers, forest officials, power utility representatives from MAHATRANSCO and MSEDCL, resident associations, researchers, and nature enthusiasts to participate.
